Meretz leaves TA City Council, protests police 'violence'

Deputy Mayor Meital Lehavi and the rest of the three-member Meretz faction
pulled out of the Tel Aviv City Council on Tuesday in a protest against police
violence against protesters last Saturday night and the leadership of Mayor Ron
Huldai.

In a letter sent to Huldai on Tuesday, Lahavi said that Huldai
"has become a leader of the policy of oppressing and sabotaging the social
protest in collaboration with the police which is being deployed for political
reasons" "Last weekend Ron Huldai crossed a red line and switched from being the
representative of the residents of the city, to serving the leadership whcih is
trying to put down the protest." Lahavi added that she sees the social justice
protest as the best chance for bringing a change in Israeli society and "real
solidarity in Israel and Tel Aviv".

On Monday night, a group of around
100 protesters disrupted a meeting of the Tel Aviv City Council which was
cancelled due to the rowdy behavior of the activists, who shouted down speakers
and called on Meretz and Lahavi to leave the coalition.

After the meeting
was adjourned, Lahavi was swarmed by dozens of protesters as she left the
building, who followed her down to her car shouting at her to leave the
coalition, with at least one trying to throw water at her.